Oregon Public Broadcasting

The state’s s largest public employees’ union is criticizing Governor Ted Kulongoski’s decision this week to give hefty raises to about 60 agency heads and another 4800 managers.

The Democratic governor said the move was aimed at keeping qualified managers from fleeing to the private sector or to other states.  But Rich Peppers, with the Service Employees International Union, Local 503, says front-line workers only saw a six per cent raise over two years.

Rich Peppers: "We look at this as a fairness issue.  We think it’s important not just to pay attention to recruitment and retention issues that affect managers, but also to pay attention to lower paid workers."

Lonn Hocklin, who speaks for the Department of Administrative Services, said the state and the governor are also concerned about keeping front-line workers.  But he said competition for highly qualified managers is intense.